Brain and lung metastasis of alveolar echinococcosis in a refugee from a hyperendemic area.
Alveolar echinococcosis (AE) of the liver with cerebral and pulmonary metastasis was diagnosed in a Tibetan monk who initially presented with severe headache to an emergency department in Germany. Multiple lesions with perifocal oedema and severe compression of the third ventricle were seen with computed tomography (CT) of the brain. Glioma or cerebral metastasis of a hitherto undiagnosed abdominal or pulmonary malignancy was suspected. CT scans of the lung and liver demonstrated further tumorous masses. Magnetic resonance imaging of the brain revealed the cystic nature of the cerebral lesions and the patient had a highly positive serology for AE. The echinococcal aetiology of the brain lesions was confirmed by PCR for this refugee from an area where two disease entities, AE and cystic echinococcosis, are hyperendemic.
Tappe
Dennis
D
Department of Tropical Medicine, Medical Mission Hospital, Salvatorstrasse 7, 97067 Würzburg, Germany.|German Consiliary Laboratory for Echinococcosis, Institute of Hygiene and Microbiology, University of Würzburg, Josef-Schneider-Strasse 2, 97080 Würzburg, Germany.
Weise
David
D
Department of Neurology, University Hospital of Würzburg, Josef-Scheider-Strasse 11, 97080 Würzburg, Germany.
Ziegler
Uwe
U
Department of Tropical Medicine, Medical Mission Hospital, Salvatorstrasse 7, 97067 Würzburg, Germany.
Müller
Andreas
A
Department of Tropical Medicine, Medical Mission Hospital, Salvatorstrasse 7, 97067 Würzburg, Germany.
Müllges
Wolfgang
W
Department of Neurology, University Hospital of Würzburg, Josef-Scheider-Strasse 11, 97080 Würzburg, Germany.
Stich
August
A
Department of Tropical Medicine, Medical Mission Hospital, Salvatorstrasse 7, 97067 Würzburg, Germany.
D001921:Brain / Q000469:parasitology* / Q000473:pathology; D004445:Echinococcosis, Pulmonary / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000473:pathology; D006801:Humans; D008168:Lung / Q000469:parasitology* / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012036:Refugees